Renewed calls for charges five years after Kelowna crane collapse
Kelowna crane collapse case faces renewed calls for criminal charges Families and union press for accountability as the deadly probe drags on
Five years after a tower crane collapse in downtown Kelowna, B.C., families and a labour union are снова pressing for criminal charges in connection with the deadly incident.
The crane arm came down on July 12, 2021, at a residential construction site and struck a nearby office building, killing five people: construction workers Cailen Vilness, Jared Zook, Eric Stemmer and Patrick Stemmer, and office worker Brad Zawislak.
The Kelowna RCMP recommended a charge assessment for criminal negligence causing death in February 2024, but the B.C. Prosecution Service says no decision has been made yet. The case remains under review, while WorkSafeBC’s separate investigation was completed in 2023 but not publicly released.
The International Union of Operating Engineers says the delay has been unacceptable and plans to continue pushing for accountability. The province has since introduced new crane licensing and certification rules aimed at improving safety.